Televisions seem almost ubiquitous; it seems that they are found in virtually all homes in North America. Further in some homes televisions are found in every room. While homes in some areas are getting smaller, televisions are getting larger. Accordingly the situation of the television in a home is both a space and a design issue.
A number of devices have been suggested by which a television is attached to a wall, ceiling or table. Specifically there are a number of patents directed to devices for supporting a television from the ceiling. U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,993 issued to Hamilton on Mar. 28, 1995 shows a device for suspending a television and a VCR from the ceiling or from a wall. The television is held by an inner support member which is tiltable relative to an outer support member. However, the device is not mountable in a wall and the inner and outer support members are not rotatable by 180°. U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,676 issued to Fifts et al. on Feb. 19, 1991 shows an apparatus for supporting a television form a ceiling. There is provided an L-shaped member which is positioned over a ceiling joist and an elongate shaft is attached thereto. A cabinet for the television is attached to the shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,663 issued to Barchus on Jan. 28, 1986 shows a ceiling mounted television stand. The ceiling mount includes a first bracket and a second bracket with a ball and socket joint therebetween. The ball and socket joint moves relative to each other to preselected positions. A bolt is positioned between the ball and socket. A nut with a handle attached thereto is used to clamp the ball and socket into the preselected positions. The television is bolted to the television stand. U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,081 issued to Barchus et al. is similar to the the Barchus '663 patent but the television is held in place with a pair of extension brackets and flexible straps. The extension brackets are adjustable to accommodate different sized televisions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,476 issued to Appledom on Dec. 2, 1980 discloses a device wherein the television can be viewed directly or used to project the image to a remote screen. The device is provided with an odd number of mirrors so that in the projection mode the television is repositioned to project onto the mirrors such that the image is reversed.
In addition, there are a number of devices directed to a pivotable base for a television. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,476 issued to Mathis on Aug. 1, 2000 is directed to an adjustable television stand which allows the television to be raised or lowered or tilted. However, the device does not provide for the television to be rotated. U.S. Pat. No. 3,462,112 issued to Vom Brack et al. on Aug. 19, 1969 is an early patent directed to a connector assembly which allows the display tube of the television to be pivoted relative to the base. Somewhat similarly U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,026 issued to Hampel et al. on Feb. 3, 1976 provides for a swivel base assembly which allows for 270° of movement of the electronic device relative to the base. Neither of these devices disclose a device that is mounted in the wall and that allows for viewing from either side of the wall by moving the device 180°.
There are also some devices for mounting a television in a wall. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 2,672,506 issued to Schulz on Mar. 16, 1954 is an early patent which discloses a device for mounting a television in a wall. A somewhat similar patent is the U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,244 issued to Kawaguchi on Mar. 8, 1994 which is directed to a rear projection type television that is mounted in a wall. Neither of these patents, however, disclose a device which allows for the television screen to be moved once the unit is installed.
Accordingly it would be advantageous to provide a device such that one television could be viewed from the rooms on either side of a particular wall. Further it would be advantageous if such a device is attractive from either side of the wall.